The Brainerd Lakes Chamber will host the 67th annual Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener, which will be headquartered at Grand View Lodge on Gull Lake, May 8-11, 2014. A free community celebration is planned May 9, 2014, in Nisswa in collaboration with the Nisswa Chamber of Commerce.

The Brainerd Lakes Chamber invited Minnesota boat manufacturers to offer a grand prize for its 2014 community raffle, which is a fundraiser for the chamber in support of its efforts to host the 2014 Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener.

More than 125 media representatives from throughout the Midwest each year participate in this annual event, the unofficial Minnesota angler’s holiday. Proceeds from the raffle ticket sales help defray expenses to host the media guests. This event is expected to generate more than $1 million in marketing exposure for the Brainerd Lakes Area.

After reviewing proposals, Larson Boats was selected for the 2014 raffle prize package and is the Chamber’s first Platinum Walleye Sponsor of the 2014 GFO.

“We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Larson Boats," said Steve Mau, Brainerd General Rental, and Frank Soukup, Grand View Lodge, co-chairs of the 2014 Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener in the Brainerd lakes area. "Fishing and boating enthusiasts are going to have an easy decision in saying yes on a $5 chance to win a boat of this caliber.”

Raffle prize tickets will be sold from July through next May. The raffle prize drawing will be May 10, 2014, at Grand View Lodge. Raffle tickets, sold for $5 each, will be available throughout the Brainerd lakes area at community festivals and participating locations.

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